PG&E Mourns the Passing of Former California Assemblymember and Supplier Diversity Champion Gwen Moore

By Tony Khing

Former California Assemblymember Gwen Moore, the architect and driving force behind ground-breaking legislation which helped make PG&E’s supplier diversity program one of the leaders in the utility industry, passed away on Aug. 19.

One of Moore’s major accomplishments during her 16 years in the state assembly (1978-94) was championing the California Public Utilities Commission to issue General Order 156 in 1988.

Initially, this order required all investor-owned electric, gas, water and telecommunication utility companies with gross annual revenues in excess of $25 million to develop and implement programs to increase the utilization of women and minority-owned businesses. Today, G.O. 156’s scope has expanded to include disabled veteran- and LGBTQ-owned enterprises.

Former California Assemblyperson Gwen Moore was the driving force behind General Order 156, which helped promote supplier diversity amongst California utility companies.

“Gwen Moore knew many companies weren’t being given the opportunity to contribute to California’s economy and many communities were being left out of the prosperity of one of the world’s largest economies,” said PG&E Director of Supply Chain Responsibility Joan Kerr. “Gwen was motivated by her core set of values of fairness, inclusion and justice along with the clear data that more diverse businesses could be contributing to California’s public and private sectors.”

G.O. 156 has made a profound impact on PG&E’s supplier diversity efforts in the program’s nearly 40-year history. Over the four decades, PG&E has reinforced its commitment to an inclusive supply chain and to the economic development of the California communities it serves.

In 2019, PG&E spent a company-record $3.41 billion with its more than 700 diverse suppliers, or 41.5 percent of its total procurement. In fact, PG&E has spent more than $2 billion with diverse suppliers for eight years in a row. For 14 consecutive years, the company has exceeded the G.O. 156’s goal of 21.5 percent diverse spend.

Kerr said Moore’s efforts have helped companies “form coalitions and alliances to work with others to more effectively achieve economic prosperity.

“As a California legislator for nearly two decades, she represented her Southern California constituency and all diverse California businesses in promoting the values of supplier diversity,” added Kerr. “Because of Gwen and G.O. 156, California utilities have become the role model of diverse business inclusion. We will always be appreciative of Gwen’s efforts and will miss her spirit and passion.”

“G.O. 156 is recognized throughout the United States across public and private sectors as a driving force in setting the benchmark for what is possible in diverse business inclusion,” said PG&E Vice President of Regulatory and External Affairs Robert Kenney. “The CPUC focus on G.O. 156 has helped PG&E concentrate on continuous improvement.

“She was a driving force behind G.O. 156,” concluded Kenney, “but I also considered her a mentor and a friend.”